One Final Dragon
by Nightwatchman18
Summary: A mysterious disease and plague of demons strike out at the world, as Kratos swears to stop it before it destroys everything that he and his son worked to create. But what happens when he accidently spreads it. Rated Teen for safety.
1. Alpha

The figure on the table let out one ear splitting scream before loosing consciousness, for what Kratos was sure would be the last time. The angels wings, once white as snow, had dulled to a sickly grey, mana deterioration was causing them to look almost skeletal. The angels body had also fallen into disrepair, not only did the angel look as though it had died day ago, but all over its body tiny blood red pox pulsated.

Kratos sighed, "It won't be very long before they burst, there is nothing we can do." His voice made it very clear that his normally cool, in control, demeanor has starting to fall apart.

The expressions of the angels surrounding Kratos remained fixed, there ex-spheres robbed them of the fear that should have long since engulfed them. A fear Kratos was starting to feel in the pit of his soul. _The fear of inevitability, the fear of a swiftly coming death_.

"Leave," the Seraphim ordered, he had no use for there empty stares anymore. As the angels drifted out of the room, Kratos turned to look at the figure whose body was in such immense pain that it continued to wither even as the angels mind had already destroyed itself.

_Soon the pox will break_, Kratos thought, _the pain of ones blood explosively bursting from every pore in the body was unbearable, and then others would become sick_. The sickness had spread so swiftly, accompanied by legions of fiends, devils or, if Kratos' latest theory was correct.

"No!," Kratos broke the silence as he refused to think about that… death was better then considering those implications.

Looking down at the dying angel, Kratos muttered a few syllables, allowed the mana to flow through his body then released it. "First Aid."

The light surrounded the body, the figure seemed to look healthier. However as the lights faded, so did the illusion; the angel was as ill as before. Kratos had expected this, the disease attacking the angels of Derris-Kharlan had been immune to the most technologically, and magically advanced treatments that Kratos knew of, nothing worked, many spells made it worse. The outbreak had already taken over about a third of Welgia, only Vinheim remained uncontaminated. The absolute disaster that had occurred when he had attempted to use a unicorn horn which he found in one of Mithos's collection had been devestating.

Defeated Kratos sighed, this disease destroyed everything it touched. Allowing it to survive was only opening the door to more death. Kratos began muttering words again, and yet again magical energy surrounded him. _This is for the best, this angel will die horrifically If I do nothing, and then the infection will consume this part of Derris Kharlan as well, I have no choice_. "Judgment," screamed the Seraphim, allowing his built up frustration to be released by the devastating attack. Surveying the remains and praying that nothing remained of the angel Kratos turned and left the room, cape still quivering from the violent release of mana seconds before.

Kratos turned to several angels waiting outside the room. "Burn it," he muttered, "nothing left, nothing." His voice was weak, the stress was near unbearable. Obediently, two of the three drifted into the room Kratos had just emerged from. The third angel waited patiently, the colour of his uniform, and the pointless winged boots which he wore indicating that he was a messenger. "Lord Kratos," the angel began, "there are reports of another outbreak in Welgia, the original outbreaks have continued to spread, and we believe that the unknown organisms that you sealed in Sector 3 have a ninety eight percent chance of escaping within the next hour." The angel monotone voice revealing how completely oblivious he was to the damning nature of the news he had just given his master. The angel turned and quickly disappeared to gather more information.

In his room, Kratos collapsed. Unlike the angels, he knew that the messengers' words meant death to him and every other being on Derris Kharlan. Now he could only pray that the plague killed him, better then what those creatures would do. He had tried to contain them, contain the plague, but it was hopeless, every time he tried to fight, the disease it had came back…It was only when it was to late that he realized that annihilating victims of the disease would contain it and stop the beasts from reproducing.

_I'm such a fool_, _I should have seen the connection_. But of course, Kratos knew that if he did it all again, if he tried to fight the plague one hundred times over, he would still fail to see the truth before it was to late. It was just to horrible to comprehend.

Now, because he was unable to stop it, the disease would go on killing until it had stripped Derris Kharlan to the bone, then it would drift until it came to another world, another dish on a silver platter.

_There was only one option…_, calling an angel Kratos gave what he hoped would be the one order that would stop this plague and the beasts that accompanied it. "Use Derris Kharlans remaining power to activate the self destruct." This was his fate, to die like a warrior, using the last of his strength to slay a dragon. Sighing Kratos lay on his bed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a single photograph, one of his wife, Anna, and son, Lloyd. _Live a happy life Lloyd, I wish I could be with you_.

If Kratos was correct, it had been about four years since he departed, Lloyd was probably happily married, or at least in a serious relationship. Kratos wished he could be there to watch his son grow up, to be there as his grandchildren are born. More then anything, he wanted to he there as the grew up, not off on a rock in the sky fighting pointless battles he'd never win. Looking at the photograph one more time, Kratos prepared himself for death.

"So the great Kratos is going to die here?" came a cruel voice, echoing across his room.

Kratos looked up, only darkness swirled around him, the mana powered lights long since completely drained, but he was almost certainly alone.

"After the life you've lived your going to be consumed by a little disease, your going to let a disease do what I could not." The voice continued, a hint of offence gathering, "but I guess I shouldn't pity you, you've wanted to die for so long, since you went and killed your wife."

"No" Kratos shouted, he didn't want to die here, he wanted to be living down on Lloyds new world. "I want to live."

"Well then," strangely enough the voice took on an almost friendly tone, "Why not live, why not go live with your son, I know how important family is, I wouldn't think you a coward."

"I promised him I would destroy the ex-sphere…" Kratos began.

"Since when have promises ment anything to you, you promised that you would help me save the world, you promised that you would help me resurrect Martel!"

"Mithos" Kratos whispered to the darkness.

"Bingo," replied the young blond haired angel as he stepped out of the darkness.


	2. Encounter

**So this is my first story, and I came up with the idea while staying up late one night when I decided to pretend to be sick the next day to get out of school. This chapter introduces the demons that Kratos mentioned before and mithos (more plot central then this chapter makes him seem). I think I will kill of some characters, but I really would appreciate pairing advice, I have never written any form of romance in my life. Thanks for reading**

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The former hero drifter lazily drifted towards Kratos, obviously not bothering to wear his Yggdrasil guise for a friend who new exactly how powerful the child was.

Kratos hand was already on his hilt, waiting to see if his former friend, master, student and enemy was wishing him harm.

"Now is that the way to treat an old friend Kratos?" Mithos calmly asked, "Anyways if I wanted you dead I could have just waited six or so minutes for you and all of Derris Kharlan cease to be."

"Why are you here, Lloyd killed you, destroyed your exshere, you should be dead!" Kratos voice was uneasy and angry, why did his problems seem to multiply.

"Ha ha ha, is someone having a rough day, letting there stress get to them?," Mithos questioned, "Or do you have the sniffles, are you feeling ill?"

_Am I sick, I have had as much contact as any other angle in Derris Kharlan, no I shouldn't worry It won't matter in a couple of minutes_. Kratos' thoughts bounced around his head.

"Shut up Mithos," Kratos words hovered somewhere between a threat and a plea, likely both.

"Ohh Kratos, poor you, dying in a rock devoid of sentient life never to see that idiot sun of his again." Mithos was quite obviously taking great pleasure from tearing away at his

"Leave Llyod out of this" Kratos yelled, not even attempts of hiding the rage and fear that was eating away at his soul.

Mithos smiled had found a weakness in the protection Kratos had set up around his heart. "Yes, Lloyd who you will never seen again, I heard he has a young son now, but that might just be a rumor, you know how things are, save the world once and your the big celebrity who everyone's talking about" Mithos paused a second to let his attacks on Kratos's mind sink in then continued, "Don't you remember that short time when the four of us were in the limelight, I think those were the best days of my life."

The sudden change of Mithos from sadistic bully, to close friend caught Kratos off guard, "What do you want?" Kratos demanded, as he reached forward to grab the other Seraphim and was surprised to find that his hand passed through Mithos body, dispersing him like a cloud of smoke.

"I want exactly what you want, Kratos" the quickly dispersing cloud spoke, "after all I don't exist, you killed me."

"What!" confusion joined fear and anger in Kratos voice.

"I'm a figment of your imagination, you really have slipped off the deep end" the cloud was gone, Mithos voice echoed around the room "I'm just telling you exactly what you want to hear. I'm telling ou that you deserve to live and you should abandon the self destruct and you all the power that is left in this useless rock to teleport back to your son, ivsit your wifes grave again."

"I have a responsibility," Kratos spoke to empty air, _Do I really, the exsheres will be lost in space guarded by demons and disease and the angles are going to die one way or another,, why should it be my duty to die._

Kratos knew he was justifying cowardice, an emotion that he had looked down on in others for countless years, yet even his disgust couldn't stop him now, his choice was made.

_I have to get to the teleportation room, I have to stop the self destruct and I have to leave_. These were the only wishes in the Seraphims heart anymore, he wanted to live, not die.

Gathering his cape, several gels, and his sword, Kratos bolted out of the room, fixed on stopping the explosion. Running through the libraries and hallways of Vinheim, Kratos leaping down an elevator shaft, eaisly making a jump that would kill any normal human.

Reaching the final corridor Kratos slowed to a walking pace. An ominous feeling, a horrific lack of mana hung in the air, placing his hand on his blade and gathering is mana Kratos surveyed his surroundings, ready for whatever they threw at him.

Only his experience saved him. The attack came so quick and so viciously Kratos had only enough time to put up a hasty guardian around himself. Before him stood a nearly skeletal figure skeletal figure completely covered in blood. Useless skeletons wings protruded from the creatures back, its fingers had been crudely sharpened into sadistic points and its teeth, similarly sharpened gleamed.

Kratos stepped back, it was odd for these creatures to attack living healthy beings, they almost always went after plague victims. The demons drained there blood, for a purpose Kratos was not yet aware of. All he knew was that they fought like devils and healthy angles that encountered the blood that coated the demons skin soon became infected with the plague.

Launching a demon fang towards the beast, taking off one of its arms Kratos bolted towards it hoping to finish the battle quickly, self destruct was quickly approaching. A second stroke took the beasts second arm off .

Throwing all his weight into a horizontal slash Kratos caught the beast between the ribs, meaning to cut it in two. His sword however, was not flamberge, and the bones easily caught the blade, locking Kratos only weapon to his foe.

Kratos began chanting Judgment, however the beast used its incredible strength to take control of the situation. Holding it away from him with his sword Kratos desperately tried to keep it at bay as he finished the spell. He prayed that it was to dumb to realize it could easily bite his arm.

He was pinned against a wall and the beast was eager to tear his throat out. The teeth themselves didn't scare Kratos, it was the blood that carried death that horrified him. On drop and it was over.

Panic became horror as a monotone voice echoed through the hallways of Derris Kharlan, "One minute to self destruct." Looking up in terror to the empty sockets of his opponent as its head slowly inched towards him, ready to take a bite out of Kratos with its long blood soaked teeth. Kratos continued the incantation nearing the end, praying that he finished before the beasts bit him.

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**OMG, is the protagonist of this story going to die in the third chapter, is the entire plot going to blow up with Derris Kharlan, only if I get really bored.**


	3. Filler

**An apology: OK, this chapter is a joke. I kind of forgot about his story when I got Brawl and Rock Band and I havn't had the time to continue it. This chapter was made so that I could get back on track. Hopefully next chapter will see the end of the introductuary part of the story and the beginning of the adventure with the rest of the characters. Sorry if anyone thinks that this chapter accomplishes nothing and really shouldn't be here, I agree 100 with you. (Note. My spellcheck isn't working so I apologise in advance for any errors.**

**I do not own tales of symphonia.**

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The skeletal demons hot breathe brought sweat to Kratos brow. Panic was taking over now and the Seraphim struggled to pronounce every sylable correctly. The beasts head leaned forward, its mouth gaping open preparing to tear out Kratos's throat. Then, it paused, only for a second but enough time for Kratos to finish his spell.

"Judgement," screamed the Angel, letting the white light consume the beast completely. The bones disintigrating, the blood boiling away. "Back in hell, where you belong," the Seraphim allowed himself to feal anger towards these sbeasts. But a question still echoed through his mind.

"Why did you puase," Kratos demanded, though nothing answered his plea. "Why didn't you tear me to pieces." He had see these creatures fight before. He had seen a single one tear over ten of his best trained angelic warriers to pieces, but against him, tired and weaker then he had been in thousand years, they had fallen to eaisly. Another thing bugged him, they were usually a lot smarter as well. They attacked in groups, used tactics that were errily similar to his own. 

The logical assumption is that they were controlled b a hive mind. Kratos knew something of organisms such as these. Many monsters fought under the comand of a single being. Many Desians and Angels fought under the command of Mithos. The beast that attacked him must have broken loose of the hive and was an unintelligent free agent.

It wouldn't be his problem in a few minutes, it was time for his to leave. Thoughts of escape reminded Kratos that he wasn't taking a stroll in the park, he was on a schedule. Walking down the hallway and into the command centre Kratos watched as the Angels activated the self destruct.

_They don't know that they're killing themselves, even if they do they don't care they just follow orders. These andgels are just my swarm. _Kratos laughed, it disgusted him that he couldn't control his emotions. Looking at his palm, at his Cruxis Cystal. Was it broken, he had been weaker recently, more emotional and his wings had even glown less brightly. Where had its power gone.

"Abort the self destruct" Kratos demanded. As the hum of the mana powered machines dimmed Kratos felt his heart beat return to normal. Turning to an angel in control of Derris Kharlan, Kratos began giving orders "Re all power to be rerouted to the teleportation chambers, identify Symphonia and double the security around that sector, I don't want this to be interupted by any skelatal problems," the orders were stern, Kratos was starting to feel in control, safe. It was odd, his heart still beat half a second faster then normal and he felt a little warm. _I'm just nervous, I'm not free yet_.

"Lord Kratos" the angel replied, "Teleportation is ready and waiting; however, the unknown organisms seem to have killed ninty percent of our sector C armed forces already, and have almost complete control of every hallway leading to the teleportation chambers.

_Don't lose control._ "Gather all troops from all other sectors, we push trough to the teleportation chamber." _The angels are going to die one way or another, it was their fate. I'm just allowing them to die for something. _"I'm sorry my lord, but all sectors that are within range are quarantied, infected by the plague, we have only eleven angels able to serve you." _Damn. It seems that it is my fate to die here._ One of you stay here to activate the teleporter, all other able angels arm yourselfs and come with me.

Kratos turned, striding towards a bright red doorway that led to the teleportation chamber. It was heavy set and bolted hit several magical, and physical locks. As the angels, armed with bows, spears and swords massed at the door he ordered two of them to open the gateway. Each angel put in several codes and Kratos watched as the doors slowly slid open. The only doors he had ever seen so throughly secure were those that Mithos kept his most prized possessions: Martels belongings, failed science experiments, artificial host's like Tabatha among other fruits of his obsession. Could the situation have deteriorated so severly that a normaly unsecure hallway needed so much protection.

As the door fully opened, Kratos realized that it had. 


	4. Slaughter

**Another shorter update today, but I find them eaisier to write. The next chapter will be the end of the introduction, and chapter 6 will take place of symphonia, or is there a differant name for Sylvarant** **and Tethe'alla** **combined. As for Lloyd situation, I'm open to suggestions. I'm really horrible at writing romance, so I'm going to begin with a pre established relationship. Pairing ideas are welcome, but be warned, the lives of every character from the game will be touched by the coming plague and I will be taking Character. (But not Kratos so there is no need to get Lloyd and Noishe; one of which is dead in Chapter 7 anyways)**

**I don't own ToS, if I did I woulf have included a bonus chainsaw weapon that is super effective against Kvar.**

_Soldiers screaming, blades flashing, mud and blood staining his clothes; the memories of the Kharlan War ignited in Kratos's mind like fireworks. That war was the last time Kratos had seen blood in such mass quantities, until now._

The blood plastered the walls and ceiling of the hallway, but this blood had sadistic grins and promised death. The demons were unearthly still, they looked as dead as the skeletons they emulated. Their sharp claws hung uselessly at their sides and in this calm Kratos realized what these demons really were. "They're the victims of the plague," the angel whispered. He had suspected it from the beginning, the evidence was all there and Kratos possessed far more intelligence then his son, but he had refused to accept the reality. The creatures rose from the undestroyed corpses of the victims. The blood was supplied from the broken pox and the creatures sharpened their own claws and teeth, that's why they were so crude. They probably only had wings because angels had wings.

Kratos eyes fell on several freshly created demons. They still wore the rags that were once their uniforms, their claws were only starting to develop points and flesh still hand from their bones. "O, Martel," Kratos felt physically sick for the first time in years. The demons that had only recently risen wee the most horrible of all of them. In their still state the similarities between them and the angels that had massed behind the Seraphim were countless, and worst of all, they seemed to appear more powerful then those that had come before them. They were evolving.

Drawing his sword Kratos stepped into the hallway. _If I die here, at least I tried._ Motioning for his angels to follow he began advancing towards the hoard of beasts that blocked his path, had tightening around the hilt of his blade, sweat dripping from his brow and panic rising. Only seconds earlier Kratos had been nearly torn in half by just one of these things and now he was taking on several huundered with a couple of near useless angels as backup. _This is suicide, even more so then the self destruct_. Kratos was ready to turn, ready to leave, it was possible they would go away, but he couldn't allow himself to do that. He had to push forward, he had to reach Lloyd.

The name echoed through his mind. _Lloyd_. It gave him strength, it gave him the strength to continue wawlking, to continue towards the mass of blood and bone. 

The beasts had consideratly left a narrow path down the middle of the chamber, just wide enough for Kratos and his angels to pass through without touching the lethal blood. That is, if the demons decided not to wake up. That is, if they were asleap and this wasn't some sort of trap. 

Focused on Lloyd Kratos began thinking of all the aspects of his sons life. He probably had finished collecting the exspheres by now, or had come as close as the world was going to let him. His house was probably made by himself, likely in Iselia, or maybe Luin. Lloyd had taken quite an interest in the city when he learned his mother was born there. And, he was probably married. Kratos knew that Colette and Lloyd had been friend the longest, but Shenna and Lloyd had taken an immediate liking to each other. Who knows, Lloyd may have found a girl that Kratos didn't know, whoever it was Kratos was excited to discover who his daughter in law was. Excitement, that was an emotion he hadn't felt in ages. Lloyd probably had his first child by now, it would be good to see his grandson or daughter, maybe he would grow a beard to appear more grandfatherly. The thought of himself with a beard caused the angel to burst into laughter, which is when he realised that he was already well into the tunnel surrounded by the exangelic monstrocities.

Seconds later they began to stir, awakened by the laughter, some unfolded their wings, others dropped down from the ceiling. In mere seconds every angel that had accompanied Kratos had been shreaded, torn apart in a frenzy of claws and teeth.

A disembodied wing landed several feet from Kratos, twisted into a heart like shape and drenched in blood. Seconds latter, one of the demons leapt onto the wing and hugged it close to its body. Kratos watched as the wings became paler, lost the last of their life, the blood drained from them. The demon had absorbed it, at it appeared that its thirst was yet to be quenched. "Fuck," was all the absolutly horrified Seraphim could manage to say, fear was a forign emotion to the angel and he was reduced to his most primative instincts, fight or flight.

Shething his sword and unfurling his glittering wings, Kratos took off down the hallway at supersonic speeds, away from an advancing sea of blood, bone and disembodied grins. "Damn these emotions," was the only thoght that Kratos had.


	5. Homecoming

Sweat dripped from the purple clad angel's brow as he flew. The world evaporated around him and only survival was left. Dodging to the side as a claw reached out towards one of his glittering wings Kratos continued on his path. Looking forward Kratos estimated that the hallway ended in about a kilometer and a half, and then a horrid realization dawned on the Seraphim, the door which led to the chamber that help the teleportation chambers was closed. Six feet of dwarven crafted metal stood between him and freedom.

_Whats the point, I'm going to die; I'm never going to see my son or his family again. I should have died with some honour and taken these bastards with me_. Kratos was shocked back into reality by another attack, and twisted through the air seconds before a claw tore into the angels back.

A bizarre combination of survival instincts and hope was powering Kratos now. The concoction was strong, far stronger then either of its ingrediants entitled it to be, and Kratos continued running the deadly race down the hallway, towards the corner that would trap him. Claws now were shooting out from all angles and Kratos barralrolled, twisted, flipped and dove through the sea of claws; now only centimetres away from the nearest of his assailents. My mind flashed to the last time I had ran, the last time I was to afraid to fight.

_Anna, hurry. The treacherous Seraphim__ pulled his wife forward along the ridge of a steap cliff. The young woman carried her infant son in his arms, the child was crying unbearably, and tears were forming at the edges of is mothers eyes. Reaching a crevice, the angel expanded his wings and carried his wife and son across the short cliff. Fear for his family held him down, acting far more potently then Gnomes might ever could. Landing in a small clearing, Kratos looked into his wifes eyes. "Were going to be okay Anna, I promise you," the angel assured his wife, but the doubt in his eyes was apparent. "Kratos, Lloyd is scared," those were the words that the young woman softly spoke. Picking his son up Kratos looked the child in the eyes. "You're going to have to be brave son," his voice taking on a forign softness, "I know your scared but please be brave." The childs screaming stopped and the child looked up, fear washed from his face and an expression that begged his father to do the same. Be brave, the request echoed throughout Kratos's mind again and again. That was what Lloyd would tell him to do, his son wanted him to be brave and he would be. He would win, there was no other choice. Giving one last thought to his last happy memory as a complete family, Kratos turned his attention to the battle at hand._

Looking up Kratos realised he was flying face to face with a single skelatal demon. The others hadobviously pulled back, teritorial insticts prevented them from coming any closer. The demon that had chosen to make a meal out of Kratos was massive. Its wing span was almost as big as the hallway and the wings beat with an awful strength, dropplets of blood scattering throughout the hallway with every beat; forcing Kratos into another flurry of evasive maneuvers. Its claws could eaisly crush Kratos into dust, or tear him into pieces without a thought. The creatures head sported the same sadistic grin as all the others that Kratos had encountered, with the addition of its teeth being large enough to tear through Kratos like tissue paper.

Drawing his sword just in time to deflect the first of the beasts attacks, Kratos began a dance of death that twisted and turned as it rocketed down the hallway at a lightning fast pase. As blade met bone, Kratos watched in horrer as the beast began to wrap its large wings around the Seraphim, preparing to use the poisonous blood that coated its wings to defeat it prey. Retracting his wings Kratos allowed himself to fall out of the wings reach and tumble onto the floor, righting himself just in time to watch the beast to slam, at full speed, into the metal door that had previously blocked his escape, tearing it from the doorway and sprawling across the floor of the large room, tearing several teleportation chambers from the ground as it slid.

Leaping to his feet and closing the distance between himself and the moster, Kratos began chanting the incantation to unleash his judgement upon this monster. However, to his horrer, mid incantation the beast plucked another teleportation chamber from the floor and threw it at the angel. Unable to react in time, Kratos was hit be the full force of the heavy chamber thrown at breakneck speeds.

Sprawling across the room and landing in a corner, Kratos forced his head into a possistion from which he could watch as many of the other fiends started to pore into the room, all preparing to devour any leftovers that the alpha demon decided to leave for them. Hopelessly trying to move his broken body towards his escape, a working telechamber only a meter away from the angel, Kratos let out a moan of frustration as his arms refused to move his weight and watching in his petrified state as the largest demon slowly advanced on his helpless prey.

However, upon reaching Kratos the demon took on a demenor that Kratos couldn't understand. Lifting Kratos up by his cape and gently carrying him to the nearest teleportation pod.

Confussion now replaced fear, and suprisingly this proved far worse to Kratos. _What the Fuck is happening_. It was confusing and Kratos didn't like it.

The monster placed the Seraphim in the chmaber, and Kratos watched as one of the other demons began activiating the destination. Kratos watched as Symphonia appeared on the screan. _They're sending me home_.

As the teleportation chamber powered up Kratos looked at the massive monster. "Thank You" Kratos knew that it was stupid, the beast probably wouldn't care, but he was so happy that he was getting home.

However, the beast was not through with Kratos yet. Taking a single finger and allowing it to hover over the angels head Kratos watched as a dropplet of blood formed at the end of the finger.

_No,they're going to spread the disease to Symphonia. This was there plan, they probably could have torn me to shreads at any time._ Confussion was gone, guilt and fear returned in spades.

The dropplet fell, landing on Kratos forehead. No screaming pain, no horrid burn, it felt like it was raining. The dropplet traveled down his forhead, slowly being absorbed by the pores of Kratos skin. _Damn, Damn, Damn._

Then Kratos heard the powering of the teleportation,mana pulsing all over his body. _What have I done._ In the sea of blood a voice replied, "Your going home Kratos, isn't that what you want." Mithos.

The mana gave one final pulse and Derris Kharlan evaporated around Kratos.


	6. Capture

** Sorry for the delay in getting this out. I have no excuses except for being to lazy for my own good. I don't own ToS. Hope you enjoy:**

Darkness came and went, the brief trip through the vastness of the universe lasting what seemed like hours to the tortured Ser

Darkness came and went, the brief trip through the vastness of the universe lasting what seemed like hours to the tortured Seraphim. He was a horseman of the apocalypse, he was going to bring the plague that wiped out the world. Kratos could not remember the last time a true epidemic spread across Symphonia, but it had certainly been before Mithos takeover. The brat had never been crazy enough to unleash something that even he could not control. But, had that changed. Was Mithos just a manifestation of his own depravity, guilt and fear; or had the prince of angels really returned through some magitechnalogical miracle.

Then, an epiphany crossed the angels mind. He had seen this before, during the Kharlan war, thousands of soldiers had fallen in the battlefield, coated in their own blood, blisters bursting and screams of agony ripping across the skies. The magitechnology had slaughtered thousands, but this disease had killed millions. Though no demons accompanied it, it still spread across the world. It had even proved immune to the magic or Origin and the eternal sword, after Mithos had acquired it. Then it just stopped as soon as the worlds had been split. Nobody had known anything about it, even Martels healing arts could only ease the pain of the disease. He could not let that happen again. He had only one more chance to stop the carnage. As the cosmos drifted past him, Kratos began the mutterings of judgment. Centering the power on himself, and preparing for the end Kratos gave himself one last thought. _This is for you Lloyd. _As the light began to gather around the angel, and the spell almost reached completion, Kratos found himself completely out of mana. Unable to finish the spell, unable to even move Kratos watched in horror as blisters began to form on his skin. The pain was unbelievable, and then Kratos landed on Syphonia. It was only through the grace of Martel that the pain drove the Seraphim, not used to any feeling whatsoever, onto an unconscious state. Above him the birds chirped happily, the trees glistened with a healthy glow and the sky shown a glorious blue. The reunited world, fresh and healthy, with a near infinite supply of mana shone, unprepared for the coming onslaught.

"Colette, where are my swords," a energetic voice echoed through a small house, just north of Iselia. A young energetic swordsman, still clad in red and looking much the same as he had, rushed into a kitchen. Lloyd elaborated "There was a strange light near Ozette, Genis and I are going to meet Presea and Sheena in Mizuho to investigate." Colette, looking significantly more mature then she had four years ago but still possessing her innocent aura was in the middle of cooking a pair of omelets, and startled by Lloyds energy dropped the frying fan and allowed the eggs to splatter across the stove. The ex-chosen sighed, "But Lloyd, we were going to take Issac to see the fireworks in Altamira on Saturday," as I one cue, Lloyd and Colettes year and a half old son tumbled into the room. Endowed with his fathers energy, yet his mothers clumsiness, the child often found himself tumbling all across the house. The boy had his mothers blue eyes and blond hair, but seemed to idolize his father and the art of the sword. Picking up his son and looking at his wife, "Come on Colette, it could be really important, it is my duty as the eternal swordsman to help people in trouble" pausing for a moment to let his point sink in Lloyd continued "and besides, Saturday is three days away, I can be back in half that." This argument always worked, Colette was to sweat and fell apart at the mention of helping others. "Okay Lloyd, but promise that you will be back for Saturday. Your swords are at Raines, she wanted to study them again." Groaning, Lloyd put his head in his hands, the professor had constantly _borrowed_ the twin blades in order to study the magical powers of the eternal sword. "Your wooden swords are in Issacs room, he might not mind if you borrow them for a few days." Lloyd groaned again, this would spur quite a few eternal apprentice jokes from Genis and Shenna. However, they were better then going all the way to Asgard to find Raine. After the world, combined Asgard became harder to find then Hima, even with wings. Hugging his son and kissing his wife goodbye, Lloyd stepped out of his house to be greeted by a familiar half elf. Genis had grown significantly in the last four years, standing only slightly shorter the Lloyd and now sported hair extending down to his waist and a black robe instead of his traditional blue.

"Ready to go," the swordsman asked, the mage simply smirked and nodded, a hint of anger radiating from him. Lloyd ignored this and spread his wings as Genis leapt onto his Rheaird. It was not until the pair had already reached Trient that Genis began to converse. "Colette seems happy," a definite hint of accusation in his voice. "I didn't think I needed to tell her," Lloyd began only to interrupted by Genis. "You promised me that if I kept quiet you would tell her." The mage was yelling now, his anger now apparent. "I didn't want to hurt her" was all that Lloyd could reply, "and anyway, I'm seeing _her _in Mizuho anyway, so I'm going to end it." "What" the mage gasped, "you told me you ended it two months ago." "Genis please, I made a mistake, that's all, and now I'm going to fix it and we can all live happily ever after." The mage was fuming now, "Lloyd, mistakes last days, its infidelity that goes on for almost a year." Lloyd cringed at the sound of infidelity. He knew it was true but he could not bring himself to accept it. "Please Genis, you could destroy everything, just let me deal with it." An uneasy silence fell over the pair and it stuck for almost an hour. Then, trying to change the subject, Lloyd asked, "So, found a girlfriend yet?" The mage drifted to the left, leaving a good three meters between himself and his friend.

As Kratos opened his eyes he realized he was no longer beneath the open sky. Instead, cold metal walls and mana powered lights filled the room he was in. Glancing at his hands, he realized that he was heavily strapped into a rather chair, and his exosphere had been removed. Then he realized that several there were several humans in the room with him, they were dressed in rags and looked eerily similar to human ranch captives. Several Desians wearing full body armor, with strange breathing devices covering their mouths were systematically moving throughout the room, injecting the humans with a red liquid. His blood. "Stop, you fools…," the Seraphim began, but was quickly interrupted by the Desian who appeared to be in charge of the group. "Ohh, I assure you, traitor, that we know quite well what we are doing, It is you that are the fool for bringing us such a perfect weapon." The voice was sadistic, happy in its infliction of pain upon others. "Lord Yggrasil promised us an agent of purification and he has delivered it to us, now all we must do is use it." "Who are you, what is this, how is Yggrasil returned from the dead," Kratos voice was cool, living beings did not faze the angel, he acted as though he was the interrogator. "All with time, all with time" the masked half-elf teased, "but I can answer your first question Kratos." The Desian removed his mask to reveal a head of blond hair and two razor thin, heartless eyes, Kvar. Kratos passed out as the Grand Cardinal sent thousands of volts of lightning through his body.

**Wow, the next chapter will probably explain almost everything that you need to know for a while at least. THe relationship problem is going to be my only real romantic subplot. PS I'm not going to kill off Lloyd of Noishe next chapter, I couldn't think of a way to do it right.**


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